Disqualification Details: Making Sense of Video-Initiated Calls That Upended Nationals

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Emma Weyant -- Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Disqualification Details: Making Sense of Video-Initiated Calls That Upended Nationals

At one point during Thursday morning’s prelim session at U.S. Nationals, the fans inside the Indiana University Natatorium would give a rousing ovation whenever the venue announcers would say, “The results are official.” But after the majority of 400 IM heats, the meet came to a grinding halt, with results “pending video review.” Numerous swimmers were disqualified, most for the vague-sounding violation of “dolphin kick during breaststroke.” As the DQs kept coming, fans began booing.

The most high-profile of these DQs was Emma Weyant, the University of Florida swimmer who was the Olympic silver medalist in the 400 IM and the World Championships bronze medalist last year. Weyant finished second behind Alex Walsh in the second-to-last heat of the event, and if her time had counted, she would have been the No. 2 qualifier for the final. She was not a lock to qualify for the team not against Walsh and Katie Grimes but very much a contender. And with no true backup events to fall back on, the DQ essentially eliminated Weyant from World Championships contention.

The other consequential call was Max McHugh being disqualified from the 50 breaststroke after posting the top qualifying time. McHugh, a multi-time NCAA champion in the 100-yard breast with one title in the 200-yard breast, had the best long course performance of his career wiped out, but even had he won the event’s final, he would not have received a World Championships invitation because the 50-meter stroke winners were the last priority for American selection to the team, and the roster was capped out at 26 swimmers.

The flurry of DQs resulted from the use of underwater video equipment, which will be in place at the World Championships and other major competitions. According to World Aquatics Competition Regulation 10.3 (page 40 of the linked document), “At Olympic Games and World Aquatics Championships, the approved Automatic Officiating Equipment, including Video Judging Equipment shall be provided and used. The approved Video Judging Equipment shall be used to initiate stroke infraction calls, confirm stroke infraction calls or assist the Referee to overturn calls made on the pool deck.”

Underwater video equipment has been used in the past to overturn disqualifications, including memorably at the 2016 Olympic Trials in the women’s 200 butterfly. Camille Adams, the strong favorite in the event and reigning World Championships silver medalist, was DQed in prelims for dolphin kicking past vertical (closer to her back than her front) off a turn, but video review should that Adams’ kickout was legal. The DQ was overturned, and the reinstated Adams ended up winning the event and placing fourth in the 200 fly at the Rio Games.

Now, however, video is used to initiate calls, meaning an officials on deck would not have to observe a violation. If an official saw an issue on camera, that would be sufficient to make a DQ.

Numerous swimmers and coaches who spoke to Swimming World expressed concern that the system would mean minuscule details invisible to on-deck officials could now be used to disqualify swimmers, particularly in breaststroke events.

Additionally, the phrasing “dolphin kick during breaststroke” could refer to one of two separate violations: taking an extra dolphin kick (or multiple extra kicks) during the pullout or a small downward kick at the end of each stroke cycle. Violations in pullouts have been common over the years, with 2012 Olympic gold medalist Cameron van der Burgh admitting to taking multiple kicks off each wall. Fans watching underwater replay footage could see the extra kicks, but it was impossible to discern from deck level.

Florida head coach Anthony Nesty weighed in on the numerous DQs at Nationals — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

However, the downward dolphin kick within the normal stroke cycle is extremely subtle, and plenty of swimmers could go their whole career without ever being called for a violation — but that changes with underwater video used to initiate DQs. While swimmers at Nationals were called for both types of dolphin-kick infractions, it was the latter issue that cost Weyant a spot in the final, according to Florida head coach Anthony Nesty.

When Nesty met with media members Saturday morning in Indianapolis, he implied some frustration with the system and its impact on swimmers’ results.

“DQs are never fun because these athletes put in so much time, effort, energy. It is what it is. It’s breaststroke. Obviously a lot of breaststrokers got DQ’ed. It’s not our call. It’s their call, and we have to go with the call,” Nesty said. “When you’re watching video you can nitpick any little thing. But obviously they felt she did a dolphin kick and the call was made.”

Above all else, Nesty was bummed for his swimmer, who was looking forward to showing her improvements in the 400 IM for the first time in one full year training with the Gators. “The thing I was excited for, it was one of the best prelim swims she’s ever had,” Nesty said. “I pulled her aside and said, ‘What did you think you could go?’ She said, ‘I definitely could have gone faster.’ Could she have gone 4:33, I don’t know. But I think 34, 35, 36 was doable.”

A significant source of frustration was the introduction of this technology at the selection meet for the World Championships and not giving athletes the chance to experience the system and make adjustments during less consequential in-season meets.

Compare that to the recent changes in Major League Baseball, where a pitch clock and new regulations on defensive positioning were introduced for the 2023 season. The rule changes were implemented during spring training, and initially, players struggled to adjust, but after six weeks of exhibition games, the rules have caused few issues during the regular season, and fans have lauded a vastly-improved product on the field. Perhaps with the same foresight, one prominent swimmer argued, such chaos at Nationals could have been avoided.

Kieran Smith, another University of Florida-trained athlete, who qualified for World Championships as the runnerup in the men’s 200 and 400 freestyle, wore an irritated look as he weighed in.

“I heard that (Weyant) got DQ’ed, and then I was watching the men, and every race someone’s getting DQ’ed, which seems a little ridiculous,” Smith said. “It would be one thing if there was consistency from U.S. Open and Pro Swims where something like this would happen because maybe we could try to tighten it up, but when you come to the Trials meet like this, and you have to dive in hoping you don’t get disqualified for dolphin kicks during breaststroke, I don’t know, it seems a little ridiculous.

“I feel like it has to be within reason or to gain an advantage because no one’s coming here to gain a quick, slight edge of doing dolphin kicks. No one’s trying to cheat. But I’m not an official, either.”

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MastersSwimmer

10 months ago

At this level, strokes should be 100% legal. No sympathy whatsoever for those who felt there should have been advance notice of this new system so that they could “make adjustments” to their strokes!!! Make adjustments = stop cheating.
And how on earth can a swimmer claim it is “ridiculous” that you have to “dive in hoping you don’t get disqualified for dolphin kicks during breaststroke”. You need to dive in KNOWING you won’t get DQ’d because you won’t be cheating and doing dolphin kicks.

swim parent

10 months ago

Reply to MastersSwimmer

My son was dq’ed at this meet, and where I would normally agree with your comment, the frustration is that he’s never been DQ’d before and has swam at several national meets and even internationally and thought his stroke was legal. He’s 18 and wasn’t trying to cheat. He simply wasn’t aware that his body adjusted in a way that looked like an extra kick since he’s never been judged this way before. Seeing underwater footage of his kicks beforehand would have been very helpful. I guess it comes down to the training, since you can’t see yourself in this way. It’s very heartbreaking for the kids who have been training so hard for this to happen. It wasn’t a matter of trying to get away with something, it was a matter of not knowing. Just wanted to give the swimmer side of the story.

MastersSwimmer

10 months ago

Reply to swim parent

I appreciate your point of view.
Now that cameras are being used in races perhaps they will be used more in training to eliminate any dubious movements. I would have thought that elite swimmers at this level would all have already had some access to underwater cameras in training.

BPARK

10 months ago

Reply to MastersSwimmer

So why have deck official s at all. Swimming is a great sport. Before all this techs stuff. It’s never been this question able. Real athletes don’t come to competition to see what they can get away with at least Honest athletes! We come to compete and have fun. Podium or not. Money or no money!

College Swim Coach

10 months ago

Reply to MastersSwimmer

This is beacse doing a subtle dophlin kick at the end of the breastroke stroke is very commen, and is more a body dophlin than an actual kick. Meaning that when an offical sees it, they most likely would not disqulify the swimmer due to it not being a proper dophlin kick. However, the camara would make a different decision, causing the swimmer to get DQ. Hence why the swimmers wanted time in advance to become accustomed to the new system.

Jonathan

10 months ago

Reply to College Swim Coach

“Meaning that when an offical sees it, they most likely would not disqulify the swimmer due to it not being a proper dophlin kick.”

This is 100 percent incorrect, and I don’t know why you would say that? The cameras are not making any decisions, they are still being made by officials, in real time. As I commented elsewhere, the cost for the underwater camera system was over $100k at this meet. It’s not realistic to expect them to add it to Pro Series meets. And on the flip side, this is the same system that will be used at worlds, which is what this meet selected swimmers for. If we hadn’t had the camera system in place, then it certainly wouldn’t be consistent for the US Swimmers when they showed up to Fukuoka where an underwater cameras system will be used in the exact same way.

Posh Szu

10 months ago

The initiation of disqualification calls using a camera is unfair in my opinion as a swim official. The call from the deck is made by an official without time to review after which the call is reviewed to be either upheld or overturned by a highspeed camera review official. Using cameras to make calls should have been used at meets like the TYR Pro Series prior to such an important qualifying meet so athletes and coaches could make adjustments.

Jonathan

10 months ago

Reply to Posh Szu

The review with the camera is also made by an official in real time. Not sure what part about it isn’t fair?

Adrienne

10 months ago

Reply to Posh Szu

Exactly! None of this would have happened had the swimmers had opportunity to make adjustments prior to the Nationals.

Jonathan

10 months ago

Reply to Adrienne

You realize that the cost for the underwater camera system was into the 6 figure range? It’s not realistic to add that expense to each of the four pro series meets, not to mention the additional staffing requirements. As someone else stated, it’s simple, stop cheating.

-5

Miss M

10 months ago

I think it was what seemed like the inconsistency that was also an issue. I saw underwater video of Lilly King that looked like a clear flutter after each stroke that wasn’t called.

Zark

10 months ago

This is not surprising to me. A common drill in practice is breastroke pull with dolphin kick. The problem is that repetitive motions create muscle memory. It seems to me that such drills and the resulting muscle memory should be avoided in workouts. Drills should enhance legal motions and avoid illegal motions.

JonathanNC

10 months ago

I kept wondering why the video streaming coverage did not make any effort to show us an underwater shot of the purported violation. I would have liked to form my own opinion of what the officials are exactly seeing. If I could see it for myself, I might have been more understanding of the call.

And of course, I KNOW the underwater camera is available. It’s one of the several camera angles which make me so mad I can’t just watch the race itself. During the race — please just show the ‘from the stands’ angle. Not underwater; not deck level; and please not the closeup. Save all that for replays after we get to just watch the race!

NingboJust1n

10 months ago

I thought u can’t do view review to dq someone but only can recall someone’s dq…. In this case maybe USAS should change their rulebook (again) to make it the same as WA rules.